Four Blue Pony speakers, including two first-time champions, earned top scores at the Conrad Invitational last weekend.
Garnering wins for the Havre High School speech and debate were senior Rachel Rawn in serious oral interpretation, junior Alma Muskaj in memorized public address, Lucas Minnick in Lincoln-Douglas debate and Andrew Dusek in expository speaking. Rawn and Muskaj were first-time winners and it was the fourth win of the year for Minnick and Dusek. Only five first-year speakers for the Ponies missed the final round at Conrad.
Final tabulation in the combined AA-A Class sweepstakes contest showed C.M. Russell of Great Falls in first with 127 points, Havre in second with 117 and Browning third with 46.
Cut Bank High School won Class B with 24 points, and Great Falls Central was the Class C sweeps winner with 19 points.
Havre's only policy team of Megan Wagner and Emily Koffler were undefeated in preliminary rounds and lost in a split decision in finals to place second. Zach Kamla was third in Lincoln-Douglas, while teammate Dan Marino was fifth.
Havre extemporaneous speakers were all finalists, with Kris Roll placing second, Casey Donoven placing third and Mitch Hodges placing fourth.
Jesse Lee was a first-time finalist in impromptu, where teammate Tyler Lamb placed sixth.
Joining champion Dusek in expository finals were Ali Ward, who placed fifth, and Rick Verploegen, who was sixth.
Keri Burstock was third in original oratory, while teammate Christina Hoppe was sixth in that event.
Joe Palmer was sixth in humorous oral interpretation, while Jacques Thibodeaux was eighth. While the interpretative events always draw the largest number of contestants, Havre freshman Richard Leeds joined Rawn in finals. Leeds placed fifth.
Havre High next competes in a Central A showdown at Fergus County High School in Lewistown after the holiday break.
